Daily Mood Quotes - November 5, 2011

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 185 – November 5, 2011

“The closing of a door can bring blessed privacy and comfort – the opening, terror. Conversely, the closing of a door can be a sad and final thing - the opening a wonderfully joyous moment.”

~Andy Rooney

I am tabling the honesty and integrity discussion today. This morning I went to my Daily Mood Quotes Facebook page and saw a headline on the CBS Evening News link that read, “Andy Rooney dead at 92.” I am saddened, I understand that 92 is a pretty long life, but there is sorrow in such a great loss. Sadly, I never met Mr. Rooney, but on 60 Minutes when you listen to his verbal essays, it was hard not to connect with him, no matter if you agreed or disagreed with him. He had a persona that made you feel as if he was talking to you directly. Maybe that was just a good camera angle, or the father-like tone he had in his voice; either way a connection happened.

Everyone will have that one thing they will remember about Mr. Rooney. For me, it will be the direct approach he had about everything. It is one of the reasons why I speak my mind directly. Like him, hate him, agree with him, disagree with him, say hi in passing, ignore him in passing; it didn't matter, you respected him for his opinion and the fact that he had one and spoke it. That's why I liked and respected him.

What an amazing life he must have led because he stated (I'm paraphrasing here) “if he had to do it all again, he wouldn't change a thing.”

I dedicate this blog to Mr. Andy Rooney, thank you for the memories, the great words and stories you have told over the years. You once said, “Elephants and grandchildren never forget.” Well, I hope we will never forget you, I know I won't.

Rest In Peace Andy Rooney, we will miss you.

No movie quote today

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote

Thank you for reading.

Daily Mood Quote - November 3, 2011

 

Daily Mood Quotes

Day 183 – November 3, 2011

“Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people.”

~Spencer Johnson

Integrity is defined as, adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character, honest. And, honesty is defined as, the quality of fact of being honest; uprightness and fairness. Truthfulness, sincerity, or frankness, freedom from deceit or fraud. (thank you Dictionary.com). So, if we know what they mean, then why do we have so much difficulty in understanding them.?

Over the past several months, I have used the mute button on my remote control to silence the political ads on television, and when they come on the radio, I turn it off. I don't know about you, but as a voter, I am sick and tired of the negative, pointing fingers, he said, she said, they said...I say, “knock it off, I've heard enough.” Republican, Democrat, Liberal, Tea Party, really as the song by Billy Joel goes, “we didn't start the fire, it was always burning, since the world's been turning, we didn't start the fire, no we didn't light it, but we tried to fight it.” Now we're just sick of being burned by people who can apparently do nothing but point fingers, find fault and distract us from the truth that none of them are really worthy of our votes. Personally, I wish they would put their fingers in a light socket, it may shock back to common sense. You never know...

So, in all the political crap, where is the truth? Hidden by political advisers and PR firms, who would sell their bosses out for a nickel and a shot at an interview on 60 Minutes. And also, where pray tell is the most remote relevance to what they should be focusing on? The needs of the people should be on all the agenda's of those running for office. Somehow, somewhere the “vote for me, because the other person is worse” has become acceptable practice. To quote an old friend from Long Island, “What, Are you kidding me!! It's like dealing with a group of elementary school children on a kindergarten playground, trying to be the most popular student. Getting attention and gaining popularity through tattle-tailing? Obviously, we missed those lessons about growing up and taking responsibility for our actions. It just makes me sick to see our political system, once the highest expression of human aspiration, dragged into the gutters by these losers. “We the people” let this happen and “we the people” will need to make a few adjustments to what we pay attention to. That is if we can pry ourselves away form reality shows, video games and online auctions long enough to see what we have let happen.

Here's where the honesty and integrity part comes in, let's be honest with ourselves; we as a nation only pay attention to the bad crap and not to the important issues, unless we're the ones who are suffering. “Painful, the truth is.” (Thanks Yoda). Personally, I'd say “Vote for none of the Above!” just as Monty Brewster, (played by Richard Pryor) said in Brewster's Millions, but that would let the “biggest loser” win without a fight. And so even though we disapprove, we let it slide and those of us who aren't buried in their Wii tennis, wobble to the poles and punch the button for the name they recognize most. Ouch, I've even done that once - a very long time ago and I apologize to all of America for that. Its insanity and we perpetuate and enable it by our apathy. Thomas Jefferson said, “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” So lets wise up and be honest about that fact that we let ourselves get into this situation by our own collective hand. We have to get ourselves out by participating a little in our own governmental process (remember grade school civics class?). In the movie The American President, Lewis Rothschild (played by Michael J. Fox) said “...And in this country it is not only permissible to question our leaders, it's our responsibility!” By the way that's the last thing they really want. As Michael Douglas who played President Andrew Shepard in the same movie noted, “And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you, (insert candidate here) is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things and two things only: making you afraid of it and telling you who's to blame for it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections.” Sadly, that theatrical bit of monologue is painfully true. Just watch what happens over the next 12 months. We are in for an interesting year...more thoughts on honesty, truth and integrity tomorrow.

How will you be honest today?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote

Thank you for reading.

Daily Mood Quotes - October 3, 2011

 

Daily Mood Quotes

Day 153 – October 3, 2011

Happiness depends more on how life strikes you than on what happens.

~Andy Rooney

In my life, the one thing I have always been able to do, is take something good, something memorable, or something I didn't know, from every situation I have been in. Letting others dictate the direction of one's life only means never finding the happiness, that was truly meant for you and it is a recipe for failure. What I consider to be one of the biggest mistakes people make is “trying to fit in.” I tried it once; it was the most unhappy time of my life. To quote Peanut from Jeff Dunham, “it suck-ka-kaed.” I was miserable trying to be someone everyone accepted, everyone liked. I was looking for those after work invites to a nearby bar or restaurant, just to feel like I belonged... to be one of the group. What's the point? I've seen and heard too many stories of how these events can destroy people, because of unprofessional conversations that took place in those settings. You have heard the old saying, “loose lips sink ships?” Well they also sink careers, relationships, promotions and pay raises, so why do it? I know; “to fit in” “be accepted.” It's that sense of “needing to belong” which drives many of us to disaster.

There is another old saying, “Why don't they put lids on crab pots? Answer, because when one starts climbing out, the others reach up to pull them back down.” So, it is with fitting in. Every group of people, has an up, or positive side and a down, or negative side. One of the great hazards of trying to “fit in” is that we seldom see the negative side, until it's too late and the damage is already done. Friends are a gift. However, if they can't accept you for who you are, then maybe you need to reconsider who your friends are.

Happiness isn't something someone can give you, it can only be achieved from within. I learned this a long time ago, my friends, my family, even my spouse were not responsible for my happiness; only I was. When I realized that, I changed the course of my life. And today, I am happy. Okay, still unemployed with a nuisance vision disability, but I am happy because of the choices I made for my life. In the movie The Pursuit of Happyness, Christopher Gardner (played by Will Smith) said to Christopher (played by Jayden Smith), “Hey. Don't ever let somebody tell you... You can't do something....You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period.” Follow your dreams. I can remember many, many times in my life when I was told, I wasn't any good at something, or I couldn't do it because..., (okay, driving aside). I always wondered, if I could. Well, I don't wonder anymore, I have done and achieved many of the things I wanted to do, and I will continue to achieve. This winter, I'm thinking about learning to ski. 

I also always wanted to be a writer and after listening to Andy Rooney's sign off speech from 60 Minutes last night on CBS, I feel more inspired and less ashamed about following that dream. I wonder if 60 Minutes would consider me as a temporary fill in? I'm not Andy Rooney, but I always say what's on my mind. Someone once told me, “If you never ask, you never know.”

How will you pursue “happiness” today?

Tune in tomorrow to read daily mood quote

Thank you for reading